Donetsk refuses to negotiate ceasefire with Kiev

(Baonghean.vn) - On Friday, January 23, in the face of the escalating war situation in eastern Ukraine, Mr. Alexander Zakharchenko - head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNK) refused any ceasefire agreement with the Kiev government.

On Friday, not only did Alexander Zakharchenko refuse to negotiate a ceasefire, he even announced that the separatists would launch an offensive across the region. It is known that the Ukrainian army still controls some locations in the eastern regions of Ukraine.

Mr. Alexander Zakharchenko - head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNK) in November 2014. Photo: AFP/Alexander Khudoteply

On Thursday, separatists paraded captured Ukrainian soldiers near the site of a deadly bombing of a tram that killed 13 civilians. During the parade, the Ukrainian prisoners were subjected to insults and even stones. Both sides blamed each other after the bombing. The European Union called for an “impartial investigation,” but the separatists rejected the request.

For his part, on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the Ukrainian government of launching a major military operation against the separatists and was responsible for dozens of deaths in recent days. According to President Putin, Ukrainian soldiers used artillery, missiles and warplanes to attack targets without discrimination. The attacks by the Ukrainian army also targeted densely populated areas. Mr. Putin loudly criticized this action of Kiev while Kiev itself has been constantly shouting slogans about wanting peace in the region.

After months of fighting with the separatists, the Ukrainian army has lost the Donetsk airport. In Ukraine, the fall of the Donetsk airport has been compared to the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II. As of this writing, fierce fighting is still ongoing and has left more than 40 people dead in eastern Ukraine.

On Kiev’s side, Oleksandr Turchinov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, accused “Russian terrorist groups” of being used in the attacks. In response to reports of Ukraine’s defeat on the ground, Oleksandr said the Ukrainian military was still “in control of the situation” and “repelling the attacks.”

Chu Thanh

TLe Monde pig 23/1